Sinner
by Echo Chambers
Summary: Being born into The Faith is difficult, but being cast from is is even harder. Meg is a sinner, and even her soul chamber says so. She knows this because Magic is bad and she has it. A special gift with light sent her from her home and to Discipline. RR!
1. Chapter One

**A/N: the second part of this chapter is the weakest. I feel that I start to list things, so in reviews could you please help me re-word parts of that section? **

**Thank you.**

CHAPTER ONE:

My name is Meg, born into The Church I have Always known the rules of The Faith. Strict, guiding rules that, if followed, are sure to lead you to Maherik, the good after-life. The Mighty Spirit is harsh, but just. He set out his rules in plain sight, to be followed by all. Those who disobey are sinners. The Great Spirit hates sinners. So, I do as well.

I am a sinner.

I did not know I was. I had been baptized, never looked at a man, never wore my hair down, or talked out of turn. I prayed seven times a day and three times more on the Holy day. I fasted every full moon, read the Holy Book once a month, and lived simply, thankful for what I had. But I had lived this life lying to myself the whole time. Lying so well that even I did not know that I lied, for I was hiding something. Magic. Magic is wrong, a sign of Zahairen, the Devil. I have sinned, and now I must pay the price.

The road before me stretches on and on over hills, swerving around river, through forests and beyond mountains. I cannot see the end, but I don't glance back. Behind me is the great, white-walled city that I once called home. I can feel its presence behind me like a looming shadow, pressing me onwards. Its blue banners wave me away. I will never return there again, and I understand and accept that. I do not deserve even the meager bread crusts they packed in my sack along with an apple and water skin as they waved me good-bye. They shouldn't have watched my leaving. I don't deserve that. I did wrong and now am being justly punished for it. I will never get to return to the great city I am walking from, but if I stay to The Book, and pray extra hard and long, perhaps I will be spared the worst after-life. I must try.

The sun has risen now in the sky, and I keep walking. The end is no nearer, and the twists and turns are still unclear. Perhaps it has more meaning than just a road, it seems very much like my own life. I wonder, what will await me at the other end?

The light of dawn woke me with its soft comforting light. No, not comforting. That was where my magic lay, I would have nothing more to do with it! I knelt to pray right then and there. I prayed long and hard, reciting some prayers from my prayer book and speaking some from my heart on spot right there. I begged forgiveness for my sins and pleaded for the knowledge of how to cleans myself. For the first time ever I felt no reply. I sat back on my heels, numb. Was this how it felt to be a liar and a sinner, to be pushed away from Mahrek?

Eyes lowered, head bowed in silent shame I busied myself with breakfast. I found some mushrooms and parsley, as well as dug up some nearby plants to find that they were carrots. I rinsed them in the river by the road and threw them into a cooking pot.

As I waited for it to cook I searched through my pack. I had the bread crusts, two apples, a comb for my long brown hair I wore in a braid, hidden behind my thick head scarf, a dull knife to cut my food with and my old Holy Book that had been my Grandmothers before she passed away. On the outside of my pack, hanging on a thick rope cord hung my water skin, which I had just filled at the river, my other pair of sandles. Sandels wear out very quickly. Later, when I finished cooking, would hang my small beat up cooking pot on the pack as well.

I was extremely thankful for all that they had given me. I deserved none of it. They should have merely tossed me out to the road and left me with only my thick woolen dress. It was long and brown, going all the way from under my chin to my wrists and down to the ground. On my head I wore a headscarf to hide my hair. Only my hands and face were visible.

The soup was ready so I doused the fire. I was not a very experience cook, but at least I had enough basic skills to get by. After humbly praying on my knees I ate. The soup was very watery, but still, it was okay, better than nothing. So I was thankful. Then I rinsed the pot in the river and strung it on my pack. Again I stepped onto the road to continue to where ever I was going. Only time would tell where The Holy One wanted me to go.

**Most of my readers are writers and you know how important feedback is, so please help me and make my day by reviewing! **

**Thank you Darth Tater, The knights who until recently said Ni, and xStormy for reviewing!**


	2. Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO:

Eyes clenched shut Meg knelt in the center of the muddy road, her head bowed in prayer. She tuned out on the rest of the world and focused on the inner chamber of her soul, the place where she talked with Mahrek and he gave her guidance. Yet even in her Soul Chamber Meg found no peace. For it, too, showed her magic. Now she could see it for what it truly was. It mocked the Holy One with a the room of glass walls through which brillient sunlight always streamed. So simple and humble had it seemed, bare and doorless with unsmoothed stones for Megs soul to kneel upon, the perfect lie; a horrible sin.

Angrily Meg beat at the windows with her fists, willing them to disapear, to be plain, stonewalls. Nothing changed. She sobbed out in horror before sinking to her soul knees and begging on the floor for forgiveness, for guidance, for mercy. She wanted so hard to be good, but everything she did only showed how bad she truly was.

That was how Meg stayed, kneeling both mortally and soulfully upon the ground deep in humble prayer. So deep in fact, that Meg didn't even notice a horse rear up before her as a galloping rider came to a halting stop in an effort to avoid trampling her. As it was, Meg had to be forcibly shaken before she opened her eyes and realized, with a jolt, that she had an audience.

A tan woman, obviously noble from her clothes, stood worriedly before her. Behind her peered three others, a dark girl, one with red locks and specticals and a wet boy. In fact, they were all wet. Looking down Meg found her self drenched by the steady rain too. The red head began talking angrily. "What did you think you were doing? Meditating right in the middle of the road?"

Meditating?! That was for magic folks though. "No, friend," Meg replied quickly. "Not meditating, never meditating!"

"That's what it most certainly looked like!" replied the girl quickly. Aghast at the thought of another sin so quickly after her prayers Meg again knelt and began muttering fast prayers of forgiveness and mercy and acknoledging sin, but the red head snapped her out of it.

"What are you praying for now?! You just finished!"

"I-I sinned, I must ask for forgiveness- 'If thou sins and asketh not for forgiveness, then thou sins twice over,'" Meg quoted wisely.

"You sinned?" asked another, this time the dark girl.

"Of course! Have you not read the Holy Book?"

"Uh, no…" Meg quickly lowered her eyes. "May the Lord grant you forgiveness of your sins and your ignorance."

The girls almost glared at her. From behind more hoof steps clattered out. A group of four others, this time adults, appeared. They all looked curiously at her kneeling on the robe in such heavy atire. "Who's this?" asked Lark kindly. The four looked slightly flustered for not asking her name.

"Um…"

"Meg of …" she paused, remembering the great city was no longer her home. "Well, just Meg."

"Well Meg, would you like to travel back with us to our home? You are sopping wet and the wind is picking up, you'll not be able to get home," said a man's voice. Meg kept her eyes humbly trained on his steeds front legs.

"I do not wish to intrude, but a good meal does sound nice." Meg saw the light upon the ground move and knew he had nodded, the light warmed as he smiled. Then, realizing what she had done, noticing and even using her magic she began to pray again, eye shut tight and she fell into her Soul Chamber. Outside Niko shielded his eyes from the unexpected burst of magic from her.

Meanwhile Rosethorn and Lark were looking worriedly at each other. They both recognized the dark, covering clothes worn by the women of 'The Faith'. It was much different than most common religions, worshiping one god only and worshiping VERY strictly. "Why is she on the road in this weather?' Lark whispered to Rosethorn. Her friend only shrugged and looked back at the girls. Sandry had already jumped off her horse, and offered it to the wet girl, who reluctantly agreed. Sandry swung up behind her. It was a long ride, after all.

**Okay, I agree, it's a pathetic ending, but what did you think about the chapter over all? Do you have any ideas for a better summary? Do you have ideas for a better conclusion than this one? Tell me if you like it in third person better than first. The next eight chapters or so are in third, so speak up if you prefer first! Other wise the rest will probably all be in third… Please review, it makes my day!**

**Echo**


	3. Chapter Three

A/N: Thank you to all you wonderful people who reviewed this chapter last time I posted it! I have gone back and made some very minor adjustments (spelling, punctuation, the whole 'slut' scene) as was pointed out to me. So, please continue to review because I do make changes!

CHAPTER THREE:

Once we arrived at Discipline, for that is what the chatty young girl I rode with called it, Sanny or what ever she was called, helped my to dismount. Having never ridden before, I nearly toppled over on the wonderfully solid ground. The dark girl just a bit younger than me seemed to agree with my thoughts of horse riding, or that is what her relieved expression caused me to think.

"Come inside, Sandry," that was her name! "will put away Tabbs," said Lark, referring to the horse I had ridden back upon. "Rosethorn and I are going to talk to Nico before he leaves and it's Tris's turn to make dinner, but I'm sure one of the girls can find something for you to do."

I smiled quietly and thanked her, relieved that even sinners like them could manage to respect my ways. I could never do anything with a male, let alone one of mature age! The though alone brings red embarrassment to my face, but I hide it by seeming interested in the embroidered hangings on the wall. I ask where they bought them, but didn't listen for a response.

Luckily my face had cooled before the talkative girl began showing me up the stairs, the calm one following silently behind.

Sandry showed me to the roof . The moment I poked my head outside I felt the warm, pastel sunset welcoming me and quickly retreated. The chatty girl asked a question I didn't hear and the dark girl eyed me oddly. Sandry led me to her room. Again I asked about the embroidery, and there was an odd tangle of string I asked about to pass the time, but instead of listening, began fighting the urge to throw open the window and breath in the light. Soon my eyes caught in the glimmer on her hair, the warm, friendly glow that begged me to touch, to feel, to let out my own hair and feel it in my own.

I offered a quick, silently thought prayer and sunk into my Soul Chamber. The light was still so bright! But I knew I couldn't force it out, not yet. Soon, however, I would figure out how to put blinds up on the windows and lock them up, cover them in boards nailed down sturdily and sealed with the best mortar I knew of. Then I might be able to redeem myself.

Someone touched my arm, jerking me from my prayers. "Why do you wear no hair scarf?" the question popped from my mouth before I could stop it. The chatty girl, Sandry, looked surprised, then thoughtful. Slowly she replied,

"Well, in my culture it is expected for girls to wear their hair in an open, shown fashion, often put up in beautiful styles for formal events or simple braids to keep out of girls faces for every day wear," she looked at me hesitantly. "Why do you keep yours covered?"

My reply was quick and strong. "Because it is a sin not to. You are tempting men with your body."

How rude is that?! came Tris's angry voice in Sandry's mind. She practically accused you of being a slut!

I-I don't think she meant it like that… said Sandry, meekly trying to suppress her hurt and stand up for the new girl.

I'm with Sandry, came Daja's calm voice. I don't think Meg meant to aim it at Sandry personally. I don't think she even meant it to sound hurtful. I think it is just exactly what she has been brought up to believe.

But how could she always say exactly what she believes? People around here, not many believe that stuff. The Heriks, people who believe things like her, tried to convert people all over the Pebbled Sea, but not many believed, so they retreated to small settlements that are scattered around all of this continent-

That's it! interrupted Sandry suddenly. What if she's from one of those settlements? She glanced at Meg who was now starring unseeingly at the circle of threads Sandry had been explaining about. Meg was glowing a feint silvery light and had yet to notice Sandry had stopped talking.

She's meditating, Daja explained, seeing where Sandry was looking. She could be from one of those settlements, but I'm not sure there's even one around here. Hey, Tris, do you know?

Briar mentally sighed at being left out and Sandry could sense him return his attention to his plants, listening with only one ear to the conversation.

I don't know…AH! she cried out, horror struck, both mentally and physically. Right on her feet Little Bear had decided to empty his stomach.

"Oh, must've been those poison berries we passed by on the trail," said Lark. "Why don't you clean this up then go ask Rosethorn for something to feed Little Bear to make sure none of the berries stay in his system." And tossing Tris a towel Lark headed back to her workroom. Her three friends helped her out while Meg stared from the doorway into the fireplace where dinner was being cooked, and once again knelt on her knees to pray.

The flames, they reminded me of my fate. To burn in the fires of Zahairen's lair for eternity, in pain beyond imagination, beyond what any mortal could stand, but I would be kept alive by my soul's immortality. I prayed for forgiveness, guidance, help.

I had been praying more than ever before since on the road. Since I discovered my sins. Yet, still it hasn't been enough. I still feel the sinful joy at light, and I still cannot sense Maherik. Tonight, when the girls will not disturb me, I will pray for as long as I can. Perhaps I will discover how to block the windows of my soul chamber.


	4. Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR:

At dinner Lark had her thoughts confirmed, she was homeless now. Why, she didn't know yet, but it was strange. What could possibly have led a Harik to leave their settlement? From what she had heard they NEVER left their cities! Pushing her questions aside she kindly offered her room and board. A bit hesitantly, Meg had agreed after agreeing on working for her keep by doing the house cleaning so the other children could start studying earlier in the day and for longer times. She would begin after breakfast the next day.

The children of the Circle and their teachers were all asleep, the city clock quietly struck out an hour after midnight. Meg was kneeling in a corner of the front room beside a pile of blankets that made up her make shift bed. She had already shut all the windows, the room was pitch black, and she was in her soul chamber, praying.

In the soul chamber, Meg had figured out a way to dim the light pouring through the glass windows. If she felt the light in her being, could recognize each strand by its own distinct feel, then she could begin to see the thread it attached to her. Then she cut it. And she could no longer feel that thread. But it took so long! The feeling, the finding and sawing through the thread with her 'hands', the threads trying to reconnect, to strengthen itself after ever slice, was hard work! By morning she had only cut out five.

Meg was shaken awake by Lark who luckily thought she had slept because she'd fallen over sometime during her prayers. Standing up she found her knees incredibly stiff and peering at them later in the loo she found the red pattern of the floor still embedded in them. At breakfast everyone was watching her.

Maybe it was because her shaking hands had spilt her soup onto her lap four times already, maybe it was because she kept trying to suppress her yawns and the intense urge to close her eyes. Either way, she barely noticed as she concentrated on moving her spoon to her mouth. Oh, her fingers ached unbearably! It was as if she had used her bare hands to tear through the thick threads all night! Meg dreaded the thought of staying awake to clean all day, but pushed herself out of her chair anyways.

She was halfway to the sink when her knees buckled and her shaking fingers gave out. The bowl cracked on the floor, nearly sending her into laughing tears. Lack of sleep definitely affects the mind. Lark was beside her in a flash, her worried eyes fixed on Meg as she swept up the broken pottery and made sure she was all right.

"What's wrong?" asked Lark.

"I-I'm tired." Meg replied truthfully. "Thank you for helping me clean up. I am so sorry about the bowl. What can I do to make up for it?"

"It's no problem, really. I'm sure we can get another one soon." Meg stood up and walked up stairs, picking up the broom as she passed.

What do you think is wrong? Sandry asked the group.

I have no clue, she looks like she never slept! exclaimed Briar.

But she was the last one to wake this morning. pointed out Daja.

Tris? Sandry asked, what are you thinking?

I don't know… There's something different about her this morning-

Yeah! That's what we were just talking about! Briar cut in exasperated.

No, not that, something else. Her magic seems different. I don't know how, weaker maybe?

But, isn't that impossible? Mages like us draw our power from the land, it shouldn't change noticeably, should it?

I don't know… Tris muttered. Maybe we should tell someone.

I'm sure she's fine. assured Briar. What could be wrong anyways? The others nodded in agreement. It's not like her magic could really be disappearing. Magic doesn't just disappear. Tris must've been mistaken.


	5. Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE:

The next day Tris still felt a nagging sense that something was off every time she looked at the exhausted girl, until, out of frustration Tris just turned off her magical sight. In a few days Nico was due to arrive. He would see a problem if there was any.

Meanwhile Meg was still clearing out her Soul Chamber every night. Leaving her tired in the morning and prone to fall asleep mid-chore. By the third day she had cut eleven threads. That meant an entire window was dark by now. At this rate Meg figured she could have a dark chamber by the end of the month and finally begin purifying herself.

However, even though her Soul Chamber was growing dimmer, recently a numb feeling had been randomly taking hold of her body and mind, leaving gaps in her memory and emotions that she, for the life of her, couldn't fill. The rest of the house was noticing too.

Once Lark, on her way from Tris's room down to her work place, saw Meg cease sweeping to slide down against the wall and stare blankly out the window strait into the sun. When Lark talked to her she replied without looking away and without emotion. Almost like she was dead. Then, without warning she would snap out of it, stand up and continue sweeping as if she had never stopped in the first place.

That night Lark stood at the door to her room and gazed at Megs kneeling form. An arm snuck around her shoulders. Lark looked up at Rosethorn. "I'm worried Rosethorn. What's wrong with her? Why can't I help her? When I try it is like she doesn't know what I'm talking about. I saw her do the whole freeze thing again while washing dishes today, just slumped down over the washtub and stared into the dirty water as if she was somewhere else. I asked her about it and she acted like she didn't know what I was talking about!" She sighed and leaned back against her friend.

"I don't think she was acting," whispered Rosethorn, glancing at Meg in the dark room, oblivious to their presence. "If what I've heard of the Heriks is true, a lie is a one-way ticket to their bad afterlife." Lark sniffed sadly. "Nico'll be able to figure it out. When he gets here we'll talk to him, how's that?"

"I don't know, I just don't know."

**A/N:**

**Because this is such a short chapter, I decided to add the sixth one at the same time, so DON'T COMPLAIN! I'd like to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, I hope that I've successfully gone back to correct all the mistakes pointed out by yal! If not, or I'm still missing something, do comment because I didn't mean to mess up!**


	6. Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX:

"NICO!" shouted Sandry, rushing out of the house after Little Bear closely followed by her foster siblings. Lark stood in the door way and Rosethorn was tromping around the her garden out back, Meg looked away from the men outside the window and kept sweeping.

"Nico, I want to talk with you and Rosethorn, ALONE," Lark said looking strait at the children. "No eavesdropping."

They nodded and headed outside, probably going to the wall. "Nico, it's Meg, the girl we ran upon last time you visited. There's something wrong."

Nico remembered the strange girl quite well. And it came as no surprise to him when he looked over at her mopping the floor down the hall that she still wore her drab, concealing clothes. But the silvery magic that had radiated from her just a week before was barely there now. A meer ghost of the healthy glow before. Nico turned back to Lark. "How has she been feeling?" he asked, trying to keep the worry from his voice.

"She doesn't speak to us much. Mostly sticks to herself."

"Does she ever go blank. Like she's paying no attention, or feeling empty. Looking for something you can't see?"

"Yes! Wait, what does that mean? What's wrong?" Larks worried eyes met his, and her heart sunk.

"Her magic is so much dimmer. I know you two can't see it but, I need to talk to Tris and find out how long this has been going on. Thank you for the tea. I'm off to go give Tris a piece of my mind for not informing me!"

Up on the wall Tris was leaning out offer the edge peering down at the bottom of the wall. "SANDRY!" she shouted over the wind. "Grab my shoulder, I want a better look!" there, something was moving. She could just make out its faint outline- "AHHH!!!" a playful gust of wind almost pushed her over. It's getting too stormy Tris mind spoke to the three. Lets go. At the bottom they met Nico, his cloak drenched nearly bent in half just to keep from being bowled over by the troublesome winds.

"BACK TO DISCIPLINE!" Nico shouted so they could hear. "I NEED TO TALK WITH YOU!" Aided by Tris's magical shield blocking the five from the horrible winds, they made good timing and were soon looking for dry clothing in their shifts. Meg turned her eyes away in embarrassment for the sinners.

"I don't want to risk them catching a cold," Lark explained. The words did nothing to comfort Meg, in fact they only added to her unhappiness. How blind they could be to take the lies and excuses offered to them by Zahairen! Kneeling in a corner, having learned that praying in the open often got one trampled, Meg slipped into her Soul Chamber, noting the dim lighting but not having the strength to cut another thread at the moment. Doing so always made her feel so exhausted afterwards, and it was beginning to leave a dull aching feeling in her head.

Once everyone was in dry clothes, their wet garments hanging by the fire, Nico beaconed them to join him at the table. "You all know Meg?" he stated more than asked. "Her power is much MUCH dimmer than before. How long has this been happening?" Nico was never one to skirt around the bush. "Tris, I know you have the best magical sight, when did you first notice it?"

"I didn't- wait. I kept feeling really odd when I looked at her with my sight on, so I turned it off. It was just a feeling though! The others couldn't see it. I just thought I was still tired after all Little Bear had been sick all night after eating the poison berries on the road. It was the day after you left."

"That long?" The four looked at him confused.

"What's wrong?" asked Sandry.

"Somehow, her magic is dying."

"Meg?" asked Nico quietly, walking up the steps to where she was now sweeping. Her magic was even fainter than before! The girl looked up at the unfamiliar voice then quickly away again.

"I am unfamiliar with your religion and customs, so please forgive me for my ignorance, but I'd like to talk to you in away that you are comfortable with. I just need you to tell me how to do that. I know that you are uncomfortable around men."

Meg replied, starring at the wall, "Please do not look at me, do not touch me and make no suggestive comments what so ever. Speak strictly of your business, nothing else." Well, she was strait forward enough.

Politely Nico turned to face the opposite wall. "I see you often on your knees. What are you doing? It almost looks like meditating."

"No! It's not meditation. It is praying. I am visiting my Soul Chamber." Even though he knew he was straying from his business Nico was a curious man.

"What is a Soul Chamber? Is it like the home of your soul?"

"I suppose, in a sense. A person's Soul Chamber is where their soul resides and where they go to pray and speak to Maherik. Everyone has one, even you. Once you find it you can always reach it."

"What does it look like? Does it look like something?"

"Yes, everyone's are different though. My teacher described hers as a high rocky cliff. Where her thoughts echoed until they lost any and all sins and were pure as Holy Water."

"What is your like?" At her hesitant silence Nico immediately dreaded the question. He would have to tread carefully with her as to not frighten her away. But just as he was about to apologize she spoke.

"I am an honest person. To lie about a sin is to lie ten times over, a promise of a future in Zahairens fiery Lair." Whether she spoke to herself or him Nico didn't know, but she continued, to him this time. "My soul chamber is plain like any on of the Faith's should be. A stone floor room that is natural, all rough and uneven. The walls and ceiling though are of glass that let in comforting rays of sunlight. Though I've been working on it."

"What is wrong with sunlight?"

"Well," her voice shook, but she forced on. "For anyone else-" suddenly she slumped backward, hitting Nicos shoulder and falling to the floor to lye there, her eyes gazing unseeingly at the wall. Slowly Nico rose and walked away. Perhaps it had been too much questioning. Maybe she just needed her rest, maybe it was just accident, but Nico sure did have things to think over. And suddenly he wasn't so sure his questions had been off topic at all.


	7. Chapter Seven

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to **balecka92**. All yal should thank balecka because it's her review that reminded me to get my lazy self moving and updating! I'm truly sorry to anyone who was put out by this long space in between chapters, so… as a compromise, if I can get five new reviews I'll update the moment I see the fifth, even if Sinner is still on the first page on the stories list (I like to wait until it is at least on page two, don't ask me why. Anyhow, to anyone reading this dumb Author's note still, I bid fair well, enjoy the chapter.

CHAPTER SEVEN:

I am so confused. What is happening to me? I never had this much trouble with my memory before! Do I have a disease of some sort that causes me to forget? What am I doing in those time periods? I am so frightened by this. What if I am doing sinful things that I am never asking for forgiveness for because I cannot remember doing them? Oh, I feel so horrible, too. My head never ceases to ache and I am tired all the time, cat-napping too. Maybe that's all I'm doing in those periods of time, but usually I remember a dream at least! What is happening to me?!

A Soul Chamber? Meg said that everyone had one. When she was in her Soul Chamber it looked like meditation. Nico was sure they were almost, if not exactly, the same thing. And now, sitting against his bed, he was going to find out. Easily he slipped into meditation, and looked around.

In front of him burned his sparkling black power, changing shape as quickly as his emotions, a powerful oak rustled in a nonexistent wind, bending to turn into a fiery blaze, then dividing to form a huge black bird that split into hundreds of smaller ones flying in a V- shaped flock. But, there! In the center of all this change was a single, unchanging, sphere.

Nico's spirit moved forward, for it wasn't a walk 'nor a glide, through the magic that was once again a tree, and on to the center. With the slightest hesitation he thrust his "hand" into he sphere, and the background changed.

Where was he? Nico didn't know. Somewhere inside the sphere, but NOT in the Soul Chamber. All around him pranced shadows of his worst nightmares, and he had a sneaking feeling that to release one was to be trapped in one. They were bombs waiting to explode! Dodging their moving forms Nico became thin as a needle, darted to the wall, and kept going right on through.

Another room awaited him on the other side. How big was this place? The room was a huge, magnificent, library with bookcases reaching up to the ceiling of glass that was letting in spirals of golden sunlight that filtered through the dusty air.

In the center sat a desk, on top it was an open book. It was open to a warning written in bold red paint. Moving around to the other side as to see it right-side up, Nico read to himself. "TO MISPLACE ANYTHING IS TO LOOSE IT!" Realization dawned on him and with a different set of eyes he looked at his library. In it was stored ever piece of knowledge he had ever known or heard. Talk about a place to come to 'collect your thoughts'!

But this wasn't his Soul Chamber. Nico was approaching another wall when suddenly something yanked him back. Nico was blinking his eyes, staring into Briars face. "What?" he snapped, a bit more upset than he should've been. Briar seemed unfazed.

"You need to eat. You missed dinner last night, and breakfast and lunch today. Rosethorn promises to whack some sense into you if you don't come eat now, and there'll be no leftovers, it's my favorite!" Then Briar scampered away.

From the staircase Nico saw Meg listening. "Hello, Meg," Nico called out, looking politely away.

"Hello, Sir."

"Um, after dinner - you will be joining us, wont you?"

"Yes sir,"

"Good, good," Nico muttered distractedly. "After dinner could I talk to you again about the Soul Chamber? I am quite interested in finding my own." Excited about being able to help one of the sinners purify himself, Meg agreed quickly. Then followed him down to dinner.

A/N: as stated in the above note: **please review!** I only need five reviews to post the next chapter!

I do apologize if this was a boring chapter, so tell me your ideas on changes, must-keeps, and don't-needs! I do make changes, as you should be able to tell from the other chapters! Thank you for managing to read all these chapters and putting up with my pathetic up-dating abilities!

**Please review!**


	8. Chapter Eight

Thank you readers! I wasn't sure if I'd get enough reviews, but I got five! Here's the promised chapter.

CHAPTER EIGHT

"Sit in a form different than meditation. Then your mind shouldn't confuse the two. Your Soul Chamber is very different from meditation. Meditation can lead you to Zahairen." Nico decided to ignore that. He wasn't doing this to convert, he was doing this to try and help her. He didn't believe in a shred of her religion.

'Try kneeling. That is how everyone back at the city did it. You need to close your eyes and look inside yourself. You will see a mass of colors that bend and shape into strange forms, but beyond that is a circle. Don't hesitate when you enter, you need to burst through, if you don't you will easily be lost in a labyrinth of strange rooms. Try it," she commanded when Nico made no move to attempt it.

Meg watched for a while as she saw him sink into a trance and felt him slide into his soul chamber. Driving away the slight curiosity as to whether or not his Soul Chamber was filled with sin, she skillfully slid into hers to resume her prayers and dutiful working.

Meanwhile Nico was dazedly looking around. A room floored with smooth river stones that soothed his bare feet and walled with books and scrying mirrors, water and all sorts of other things. He sat there to gather his thoughts for a long time asking himself what to do. And he got an answer from himself.

'Find out about her soul chamber.'

Nico raced back out of the sphere and into the mortal world. Watching Meg in her trance he saw again her magic flaring and - dimming! Reaching out Nico stopped himself just in time. He had promised to respect her religious beliefs and in doing so would not touch her. Instead he turned away and began to speak, hoping to wake her with the sound of his voice alone.

"So, a Soul Chamber is where you go to speak with Maherk?"

Her soft voice sounded tired as it responded behind him. "Yes."

"You had mentioned earlier that you were changing yours? How do you do that?"

"It, it is slightly odd. I had never heard of changing a Soul Chamber before. But then again, I had never asked because I did not know the great sins and lies that lived in mine. To get rid of light I must embrace it into my self. Then it is as if a, a- well it is like a thick string appears in my eyesight. I can then sever it. But it takes much concentration because it gets even thicker as I try to break it. And when I am done there is a pounding ache in the middle of my brain. Once the 'thread' is severed the light disappears."

"NICO!" shouted Briar from downstairs. Nico held back a sigh of relief for such great timing on Briar's behalf as he said his thanks and temporary good-byes to Meg.

So, she was destroying light in her soul chamber and that was why she was feeling so bad. Nico had been sure that she had been feeling horrible because of her magic dying. This was getting more and more confusing with every new thing that he learned. Perhaps answers would become clearer after a good nights rest. But first- Briar had something to talk to him about.

Downstairs Briar was sitting beside the fire with Sandry and Lark sewing nearby. "Nico," it was not Briar that spoke, but a quiet Lark, looking up from her thread work. "The messengers come in great haste. They all call for you to go quickly to the seaside temple of Kianna, Goddess of the Seas. They all bring word of great trouble."

""I am in the midst of an important discovery!" Nico complained, but asked all the same; "Do you know what is happening at the temple?"

"No messenger knows more than that. I am worried. Master Hianola himself begs your attendance. And Hianola never begs."

"Yes, well then," said Nico, suddenly absent minded. "I will go pack and be off before the quarter hour chimes."

Sandry looked worriedly at her teacher. "What do you think is wrong?"

"I don't know. But what ever it is, we'll know soon enough."


End file.
